Counterbalance hinge



May 18, 1965 M. T. PHELPs COUNTERBALANGE HINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledOct. 2l, 1963 ATTORNEYS MALCOLM T PHELPS QT. my

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United States Patent O 3,183,550 COUNTERBALANCE HENGE Malcolm T. Phelps,Jamestown, NY., assignor to Weber-Knapp Company, .lamestowm NX. FiledOct. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 317,733 8 Claims. (Cl. 11S-1%) This inventionrelates to an improved counterbalance type hinge mechanism for pivotallysupporting and balancing and otherwise positionally controlling the lidor cover of an open top type cabinet or the like; the lidl being therebyadapted to swing -between substantially horizontal and verticallystanding positions. Thus, the invention relates more specifically tomotion control hinge mechanisms such as are useful for example inconnection with top covers of record player cabinets, freezer cabinet,filing cabinets, or other receptacles having hinged covers or lidsswingable from horizontal closed positions to vertically standing openpositions.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedmotion controlling hinge device as aforesaid which will effectivelycounterbalance the weight of a cover or lid member throughout theoperative arc of its movement; automatically compensating for thevariable torque (due to gravity) elfects ion the cover as it swingsbetween horizontally extending and vertically standing attitudes.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a hinge mechanism asaforesaid which is of structurally simple and compact form; the rpartsof which -a're rugged and failproof in operation and yet which may berelatively inexpensively fabricated.

Another object of the invention is to prorvide an improved hingemechanism as aforesaid which is adapted to be mounted on the outside ofthe cabinet back wall and below the level of the cabinet top surface,thereby leaving the interior of the cabinet totally unobstructed whilestill being inconspicuous from positions from which the cabinet isusually viewed.

Another object is to provide an improved hinged mechanism as aforesaidwhich may be readily adjusted to adapt it to operate to provide improvedcounterbalancing effects in connection with cabinet covers of variousWeights and dimensions.

Another object is to provide an improved hinge mechanism as aforesaidhaving -a range of action enabling the mounted cover to be swung betweenhorizontal and fully vertically standing positions.

Another object is to provide in a hinge mechanism as aforesaid improvedmeans for cushioning and damping the cover movement as it swings towardsa vertically standing position, whereby to slow down cover movements andfor example to prevent upward whipping of the cover when releasedy aftermanual starting of a cover opening )operatic-n.

Another object is to provide in a hinge mechanism as aforesaid animproved motion braking means.

Another object is to provide in a mechanism as aforesaid an improvedcounterbalance spring arrangement, including mechanical advantagevarying means coming automatically into operation to compensate forvarying torque loads (due to gravity effects) on the cover.

Another object is to provide in a mechanism as aforesaid a novelfriction-brake applying mechanism variably operable to compensate fortorque variations (due to gravity effect changes) on the cover as itmoves between horizontal extending and vertically standing positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thespecification hereinafter and the accompanying drawing wherein: l'

FIG. l is a fragmentary top perspective view of a cabinet "ice havingits cover mounted thereon by means of a pair of hinges of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, on er1- larged scale,through one of the hinges of FIG. l;

FlG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FlGS. 4, 5 are views corresponding to FIG. 2 but showing the hinge partswhen the cabinet cover is in various open positions;

FG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 6 6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded view in perspective of the parts of the hingemechanism.

As shown in the drawing herewith, a pair of hinges embodying theinvention; being individually indicated generally at lil- 143, FIG. l,are employed to mount a cover l2 relative to a cabinet llt; it beingunderstood of course that only one, or any other number of such hinges,may be employed to provide proper hinging support for a cabinet coverdepending upon its weight and/or dimensional characteristics. The hingeor hinges, as the case may be, are adapted to be mounted against therear wall of the cabinet and against the rear edge of the cover, so asto be thereby unobtrusively disposed from View such as when the cabinetis customarily placed against or adjacent a room wall surface or thelike. Hence, when the cover is raised to its full open position asillustrated for example at FlG. 5, access to the interior of the cabinetis completely unobstructed lby the presence of any hinge parts. This isan important feature in connection with many cabinet-cover arrangements,such as for example in record player cabinets, or the like. Also thehinge mechanism of the present invention is of such compact dimensionalform as to be adequately accommodated in the space between the cabinetand the adjacent Wall which is required to permit raising of the cabinetcover to its fully vertical standing position. Hence, mounting of thehinge mechanism of the present invention on the outside of the cabinetrear wall is of no detriment, and per se requires no positional shiftingof the cabinet relative to the adjacent wall.

As shown by way of example herein, the mechanism of the presentinvention comprises a pair of relatively pivotable bracket portionsinterconnected by means of a hinge pin le. One of the bracket portionscomprises a generally channel-shaped housing member 18 adapted to be xedas by means of wood screws or the like; in vertically standing attitudeagainst the wall of the cabinet; having apertured side anges l9-Il9 forthat purpose. The side Walls of the bracket 18 are formed at their upperends with eye portions Ztl-Ztl -accommodating the pin 16. The secondbracket portion comprises a metal stamping as indicated generally at 22,having parallel eye portions 124-24 suitably apertured to alsoaccommodate the pin lo therethrough; whereby the parts t8, 22, areinterconnected in hinged relation. The bracket 22 is also formed with apair of apertured side flanges 26-*26 for fastening the bracket to therear edge of the cabinet cover l2. The member 22 also preferablyincludes a forwardly extending tab 28 which is apertured to accommodatea wood screw 29 or the like for -additional fastening of the device tothe underside ofthe cabinet cover. Thus it will be appreciated that byreason of this arrangement the cover 12 is mounted to pivot relative tothe open top of the cabinet 14 between horizontally extending closedposition and either partial or full open positions, such as when thecover is in its fully vertical extending position.

To counterbalance the weight of the cover to which the hinge mechanismis attached, a tension spring 3l) is provided to connect at its lowerend with the bottom portion of the bracket housing 18, and at its upperend with a yoke 32 which suspends pivotally from a pin 34 carried 3 bythe top bracket member 22. To provide for tension adjustments of thespring 30 it is connected at its lower end to the bracket 1S by means ofa screw 36, the head of which is journaled in a beveled aperturedportion 3'7 tion 39 which hooks through an aperture in the yoke 32 asshown in the drawing herewith.

The yoke 32 includes a pair of generally parallel disposed side legs40-4@ which are apertured at their upper ends as indicated at 4l (FIG.7) to accommodate therethrough the transverse pin 34, thus hanging theyoke 32 on the pin 34 which in turn is carried by the bracket member 22at a side view position offset from the center of rotation of the member22 about the axis of the mainv hinge pin 16. At their lower ends theyoke leg portions 44)-40 are apertured to accommodate mounting thereonof friction-brake buttons or shoes as indicated at 423-42, the heads ofwhich are thereby arranged to bear ilatwise against the inner side wallportions of the bracket housing 18. The spring characteristics of thelegs 40-40 hold the brake shoe buttons 42-42 in friction-bearingrelation against the bracket side walls. Note also, that as shown inFIG. 4, the heads of the buttons 42--42 bear edgewise against the backwall of the bracket I8 to avoid any metal-to-rnetal chafhng as themechanism operates.

The parts are so dimensioned and arranged that when the cover is down,as shown in FIG. 2, the yoke 32 is pulled upon upwardly so as toelongate the spring 30 into the range `of its high-tensioned condition.Thus, the spring 30 is now exerting maximum pull downwardly through theyoke and upon the pin 34, tending to rotate the hinge bracket 22 aboutthe main hinge pin I6 so as to effectively counterbalance the gravityeffects upon the cover 12 when in its horizontal position. IIence,. thecover may now be easily lifted by application of only slight manualpressures against the front edge of the cover, for access to the cabinetinterior. As the cover is irst moved upwardly, such las through thefirst 45 kdegrees of its opening are, the yoke hanger pin 34 swings inan arc behind the hinge pin I6 as from the position of FIG. l to theposition of FIG. 4, thereby substantially reducing the distance betweenthe pin 34 and the anchorage of the screw 36 at the bottom of thehousing 18. This relaxes the spring and reduces the tension forces beingapplied by the spring for counterbalancing the gravity forces on thecover; but inasmuch as the cover is now swinging towards an upwardlystanding position about the hinge pin 16, the torque forces thereon (dueto gravity) are now decreasing progressively as the cover approaches itsfully upright` position. Thus, when the cover reaches a truly verticalstanding attitude as shown for example in FIG. 5, the distance betweenthe hanger pin 34 and the anchor pointof the screw 36 isrninimurn; andthe screw 36 is preferably adjusted so that under this condition thespring exerts only low tension forces on the hanger pin 34. Throughoutthe entire range of cover movements the friction buttons 42 'opposetendencies of the cover to coast after being manually set into motion.the intended position.

It is a particular feature of the mechanism of the invention that theupper ends of the yoke legs 40-40 are formed with concave dwell portionsdesignated 45-45 (FIG. 7); and the parts are so arranged that afterthemechanism passes the positions shown in FIG. 4 and attains for examplean approximately 85 upstanding position, the concave surfaces 45-45 caminto seated positions against the hinge pin 16 as shown in FIG. 5. Themember 22 and the yoke 32 ,are thus effectively locked together to nowrotate as a stiff-arm unit about the axis of the, hinge pin 16. Thisforces the lower Thus the cover will stop at ends of the yoke legs tomove laterally and inwardly toward the back wall of the cabinet, as fromthe position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 5. Thefriction pads 42-42 are thereby displaced in substantially horizontaldirections, and their resistance to this motion is applied throughitheyoke legs 40--40 in such manner as to resist rotation of the temporarilylocked together unit about the hingev pin y16. The ,effective lever `armlength through-which the friction pads 42 now operate is the verticaldistance between the axis of the pin i6 and the pads l2- 42. Thus, asthe cover finally settles into itsvertically standing attitude thefriction brake effects of the pads 42-42 are supplemented by a lever armmultiplication which produces a many times greater frictional effect.This augmentation of the braking effect operates to prevent"coasting andto cushion the arrivalfofl the cover to its full open position, andprevents sudden stops Vand consequent stresses upon the hingefa'steners. This action also darnps out any tendency of the cover tooscillate when it is in its upright standing position. In addition, itshould be noted that after locking together of the member 22 and theyoke 32, the further upward movement of the cover operates to displacethe top end of the spring 30 horizontally, thereby acting counter to thespring relaxation effect and causing the spring to now become slightlyelongated; thereby introducing an increasing spring force which augmentsthe cushioning effect which was previously referred to. As shown in FIG.2, the parts are soproportioned and arranged that as the cover springsdown towards its fully closed position, Vthe hanger pin 34 moves so asto reduce the effective lever.v arm through which the spring is acting.Therefore, although the spring is now under maximum tension,v .it isless effective in supporting the cover whereby the latter is permittedto fall through the last few degrees of its travel arc into rmly pressedrelationl against the cabinet. Thus, substantially the full weight ofthe coveris now acting to maintain the cover closed so lthat it isthereby prevented froml noisily vibrating against the cabinet, such asmight otherwisel occur under the inuence of cabinet vibrations, inducedby audio speakers, floor movements, or the like.

Ajustments of the spring anchor screw 36 will of course .adapt themechanism to properly control the movements of covers of dierent weightsand/ordirnensions. Thus, when applied to heavier covers,;for example,and/or to covers of greater depth dimensions, whereby gravity-inducedtorque loads thereon are heavier, the spring 30 will -be more highly,tensioned; and incidental to the final movement of the cover into fullopen position the horizontal deection of the top end of the spring kasexplained hereinabove will provide a proportionately greater (andneeded) cushioning effect.

Thus, the mechanism of thef invention provides a plurality of improvedand highly desirable operational features, some of which are quiteunobvious until explained as hereinabove. It will of course beappreciated that although only one specific form of the invention hasbeen illustrated and described in detail herein, various changes may bemade in the mechanism' shown and described by way of example, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthe followingclaims.

I claim:

l. A combination hingev and counterbalance mechanism for mounting acover upon an open top cabinet whereby said cover may be easily swungbetween horizontal and vertically standing attitudes, said mechanismincluding -irst and second brackets adapted to be xed to said cabinentand said cover respectively anda hinge pin pivotally interconnectingsaid brackets, link means pivotally connected atone end to one of saidbrackets at a position radially offset from the axis of said hinge pin,a tension spring connected at oneV end to said link means and attachedat its other end to the other of said brackets, thereby exerting uponsaid link means a force counterbalancing the torque eiiects of gravityon said cover, a friction brake shoe carried by said link means at aposition radially oifset from the axis of said hinge pin by an amountgreater than the aforesaid radial spacing between said link meansconnection and said hinge pin and bearing in frictional engagement witha at wall portion of said other of said brackets, said link means havinga concave-shaped nose portion extending radially from the axis ofpivotal connection of said link means to said one bracket and sodirected that when the cover reaches an approximately 85 degree openposition said nose portion locks upon said hinge pin and rigidities saidlink means and said one bracket as a unit to thenceforth rotate aboutthe axis of said hinge pin thereby sweeping said brake shoe about theaxis of said hinge pin through a relatively long lever arm throughoutthe upper range of the arc of movement of said cover.

2. A combination hinge and counterbalance mechanism for mounting a coverupon an open top cabinet whereby said cover may be easily swung betweenhorizontal and vertically standing attitudes, said mechanism includingfirst and second bracket members adapted to be iixed to said cabinet andsaid cover respectively, a hinge pin pivotally interconnecting saidbracket members, link means pivotally connected at one end to one ofsaid bracket members at a position radially otiset from the axis of saidhinge pin, a tension spring connected at one end to said link means andattached at its other end to the other of said bracket members, andvadjusted to exert forces upon said link means counterbalancing thetorque effects of gravity on said cover, a -friction brake means carriedby said link means at a position radially offset from the axis of saidhinge pin by an amount greater than the aforesaid radial spacing betweensaid link means connection and said hinge pin and bearing in frictionalengagement with a iiat wall portion of the other of said bracketmembers, said link means having a nose portion extending radially fromthe axis of pivotal connection of said link means to said one bracketmember and arranged so that when the cover reaches an approximately 85degree open position said nose portion bears against said hinge pin andthereby rigidiiies said link means and said one bracket member as a unitto thenceforth rotate about the axis of said hinge pin and to sweep saidbrake means about the axis of said hinge pin and thereby causing it toact through a relatively long lever arm throughout the remainder of theupper range of the arc of movement of said cover.

3. A combination hinge and .counterbalance mechanism for mounting acover upon an open top cabinet whereby said cover may be easily swungbetween horizontal and vertically standing attitudes, said mechanismincluding lirst and second bracket members adapted to be iixed to saidcabinet and said cover respectively, a hinge pin pivotallyinterconnecting said bracket members, an elongate link means pivotallyconnected at one end to one of said bracket members, at a positionradially oiset from the axis of said hinge pin, a tension springconnected at one end to an upper portion of said link means and attachedat its other end to the other of said bracket members and adjusted toexert forces upon said link means counterbalancing the torque effects ofgravity on said cover, a friction brake shoe carried by a lower portionof said link means at a position radially offset from the axis of saidhinge pin by an amount greater than the aforesaid` radial spacingbetween said link means connection and said hinge pin and bearing inrictional engagement with a at wall .portion of the other of saidbracket members, said link means having an abutment portion extendingradially from the axis of pivotal connection of said link means to saidone bracket member and disposed so that when the cover reaches apredetermined position just ahead of its fully open position saidabutment portion bears against said hinge pin and rigidiiies said linkmeans and said lone bracket member as a unit to then rotate about theaxisl of said hinge pin as said cover proceeds towards its full openposition while sweeping said brake shoe about the axis of said hinge pinand causing it to act through a greatly increased lever arm therebyproviding increased motion braking effect as the cover moves towards itsfull open position.

4. A combination hinge and counterbalance mechanism for mounting a coverupon an open top cabinet whereby said cover may be easily swung betweenhorizontal and vertically standing attitudes, said mechanism includingtirst and second bracket members adapted to be fixed to said cabinet andsaid cover respectively, a hinge pin pivotally interconnecting saidbracket members, an elongate link device pivotally connected at one endto one of said bracket members at a position radially 'offset from theaxis of said hinge pin and connected intermediately of its length to oneend of a tension spring, said tension spring being attached at itsopposite end to the other of said bracket members and adjusted to exertforces through said link device counterbalancing the torque due toeifects of gravity on said cover, friction brake shoe means carried bysaid link device at its end portion remote from said hinge pin andbearing in frictional engagement with tlat surface portions of the otherof said brackets at points radially offset from the axis iof said hingepin by an amount greater than the aforesaid radial spacing between saidlink means connection and said hinge pin, said link device having a noseportion extending `from one end thereof and so directed that when saidcover approaches its full open position said nose portion bears againstsaid hinge pin and thereby rigidities said link device relative to saidiirst bracket member whereby they continue to rotate as a unit -aboutthe axis of said hinge pin, thereby causing said brake shoes means tosweep in an arc about the axis of said hinge pin and hence through arelatively long lever arm as said cover moves into its full openposition.

5. A combination hinge and counterbalance mechanism for mounting a coverupon an open top cabinet whereby said cover may be easily swung betweenhorizontal and vertical standing attitudes, said mechanism including rstand second bracket portions adapted to be tixed to said cabinet and saidcover respectively and hinge means pivotally interconnecting saidbracket portions, link means pivotally connected at one end to one ofsaid bracket portions at a point radially offset from the axis of saidhinge means, a tension spring connected at oneend to said link means andattached at its other end to the other of said brackets portions,thereby exerting upon said link means a force counterbalancing thetorque effects of gravity on said cover, a friction brake shoe carriedby said link means and bearing in frictional engagement with a iiat wallportion of the other of said brackets at a point spaced from said axisof the hinge means more remotely than is the point of connection betweensaid link means and said one bracket portion, said link means having anose portion extending therefrom so that when the cover approaches itsfully open position said nose portion bears against said hinge means andrigidiiies said link means relative to said one bracket portion tothenceupon rotate as a unit about the axis of said hinge means therebycausing said brake shoe to sweep about the axis of said hinge means inresponse to further rotation of said one bracket portion while actingthrough a relatively long lever arm throughout the nal range of the arcof movement of said cover into full open position.

6. In combination with a cabinet and a closure member therefor, a hingeassembly mounting said closure member on said cabinet for movementbetween closed and open extreme positions relative thereto; said hingeassembly including a bracket member iixed to said closure member, abracket member xed to said cabinet and -pivot means joining said bracketmembers; and brake means for exerting sudden intensive opposition tomovement of said closure member as it is caused to approach one of itsextreme positions, said brake means including link means pivotallyconnected to one of said bracket members, abutment Vmeans acting betweensaid link means and said one bracket member for rigiditying said linkmeans and said one bracket member in response to said closure memberapproaching said one of its extreme positions, and a brake memberconnected to said link means and engaging the other bracket member.

7. A hinge assembly adapted to mount a closure member on a cabinet formovement between closed and open extreme positions relative thereto,said hinge assembly including a pair of bracket members, means pivotallyconnecting said bracket members, Vand brake :means for exerting forcesopposing movement of a closure member which areof diierent intensitiesdependent upon relative positioning between closure member and cabinet,said brake means including link means pivotally connected to one of saidbracket members, a brake member connectedrto said link means andengaging the other bracket member, and abutment means for causing saidbrake member to move at different rates relative to said other bracketmember.V

8. In comibnation with a cabinet and a closure member therefor, a hingekassembly mounting said closure member on said cabinet for movementbetween closed and open extreme positions relative thereto;l said hingeassembly including a bracket member fixed to said closure member, abracket member fixed to said cabinet and pivot means joining saidbracket member; and brake means for exerting -forces opposing movementof said closure member relative to Vsaid cabinet which vary in intensitydependent upon the relative position between said closure member andsaid cabinet, said brake means including link means pivotally connectedto one of said bracket members, a brake member connected to said linkmeans and engaging the other bracket member, and abutment means forcausing said brake member to move at different rates relative vto saidother bracket member in response to uniform rate of movement betweensaid closure member and said cabinet and dependent upon the relativeposition therebetween.

References Cited by the'Examiner UNITED vSTATES PATENTS.

1,039,588 9/12 Pearson 16-142 2,816,318 12/57 Philipp 16--190 2,911,66711/59 Burke 16-190 3,091,796 6/63 Leslie 16-142 DONLEY J. STOCKING,Primary Examiner.

7. A HINGE ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO MOUNT A CLOSURE MEMBER ON A CABINET FORMOVEMENT BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN EXTREME POSITIONS RELATIVE THERETO,SAID HINGE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF BRACKET MEMBERS, MEANS PIVOTALLYCONNECTING SAID BRACKET MEMBERS, AND BRAKE MEANS FOR EXERTING FORCESOPPOSING MOVEMENT OF A CLOSURE MEMBER WHICH ARE OF DIFFERENT INTENSITIESDEPENDENT UPON RELATIVE POSITIONING BETWEEN CLOSURE MEMBER AND CABINET,SAID BRAKE MEANS INCLUDING LINK MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAIDBRACKET MEMBERS, A BRAKE MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID LINK MEANS ANDENGAGING THE OTHER BRACKET MEMBER, AND ABUTMENT MEANS FOR CAUSING SAIDBRAKE MEMBER TO MOVE AT DIFFERENT RATES RELATIVE TO SAID OTHER BRACKETMEMBER.